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From Skyscrapers to BVU, Building Is in His Blood
A CEO who runs his business on Federalist principles is trustee chair of the BVU student services committee
Glenn H. De Stigter is president and chief executive officer of The Weitz Company, one of the largest full-service general contractors in the nation.
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| Featured in the above photo (clockwise from left to right): Mike Brostad, Glenn De Stigter, Matt Brostad, David Laudner, and Kristin Fick |
“A practical aspect of this approach is the bottom-line advantage. Federalism allows the operating units and project teams to do what they do best,” explains De Stigter. “They are the experts; they know their markets. So we give them the ability to be agile, because only they can react to changes in their particular market.”
It is this trust in the people who are closest to the situation that De Stigter brings to his role as chair of the BVU Board of Trustees’ Student Services Committee.
“I think it is critical that we hear about the student experience from the student perspective,” says De Stigter.
This philosophy has earned De Stigter the admiration of BVU students like David Laudner, a senior from Rockwell, Iowa, who is double-majoring in economics and political science and serves as president of the Student Senate.
“Glenn always asks what he and his committee can do to benefit the students,” says Laudner. “To me, this epitomizes the great interest he has in not only understanding student life on campus, but also in how to enhance and enrich it for the betterment of BVU.”
Early Lessons Pay Off
Construction has been a lifelong passion for De Stigter, a native of Sioux Center, Iowa. He grew up in a construction family, with both his father and grandfather general building contractors. From eighth grade on, he spent his summers, Saturdays, and school vacations working on construction projects.
“I learned to love the building process and was able to learn several of the basic trades. But most importantly, I learned to work with, and for, other people,” he explains. “Every project requires leadership, planning, teamwork, and a respect for your fellow workers.”
Those early lessons he gained from his family’s business were the foundation for his strong work ethic and personal integrity that he has followed in all of his endeavors. Following graduation from Iowa State University in 1966 with a bachelor of science degree in engineering operations with a construction emphasis, he joined a Boone, Iowa, construction company as an engineer and estimator.
In 1968, De Stigter started at The Weitz Company as a project engineer. He steadily moved up through the corporate ranks, became vice president/general manager in 1975, and was named president and chief operating officer in 1987. During that period, he also graduated from Harvard University’s Program for Management Development, under the Executive Education Program.
In 1992, he was named CEO and assembled a management group to acquire the construction arm of the corporation from the Weitz family. The Weitz Company, LLC, is now completely employee-owned by its 240 executives and managers — without an employee stock ownership plan, and without debt. Since 2001, he has been chairman, president, and CEO of the company. He was the recipient of the Ernst & Young Regional Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Construction in 2002.
With revenues last year exceeding $754 million, The Weitz Company was on track to reach $940 million by the end of 2003. Established in 1855, its headquarters are in Des Moines, and it has other business units located in Cedar Rapids, Phoenix, Kansas City, Omaha, West Palm Beach, and Denver.
The company achieved its strong position in the industry as a full-service general contractor, and later, under employee ownership, began branching out into profitable joint ventures such as Hy-Vee Weitz Construction, which was created in 1995 to build supermarkets for the West Des Moines-based Hy-Vee chain. Another venture is construction of high-end golf courses by a subsidiary, Weitz Golf International, through a relationship with Jack Nicklaus’ company, Golden Bear Golf, Inc. The Weitz Company also has several other subsidiaries outside its core business.
Profile of The Weitz Company Growth under Glenn De Stigter’s Leadership
| 1993 | 2003 | |
| Annual revenue | $225 million | $940 million* |
| Salaried employees | 170 | 640 |
| Tradesmen employees | 150 | 750 |
| Business units | 5 | 12 |
| Number of locations | 3 | 11 |
One of the company’s specialties — on which De Stigter spent most of his early career as a project manager — is large-scale retirement housing projects outside Iowa. “This was a very important time in my career,” he says. “It required me to develop and hone the management skills required to assure successful projects in new and different markets.” For several consecutive years, the company has consistently outpaced the industry in growth, and it was ranked 25th among domestic building contractors during 2002, according to Engineering News Record. The company typically has 250 projects (currently ranging in size from $100,000 to $80 million) under some phase of construction at any given time. With projects underway in about 22 states, De Stigter travels approximately 100,000 miles a year. To effectively manage this wide array of projects, the company uses the latest technology to make the best use of human and material resources. For example, on some projects all parties can communicate and keep close track of schedules and materials inventory via web sites that also include web cams to monitor construction progress.
Among some of the major projects the company has built are the Fox Building in Los Angeles (the site for the movie “Die Hard”); portions of the Denver airport; Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in West Des Moines; Arrowhead Mall in Phoenix; and complete renovation of the Breakers Hotel Golf and Tennis Club in Palm Beach, Florida. It is the construction manager with a joint venture partner on the $200 million Iowa Events Center. The company is also the general contractor on the new Estelle Siebens Science Center at BVU.
Parallel Values
The Weitz Company values honesty and integrity; respect for people; performance with absolute reliability; and long-term perspective.
“These have been the core values of our company since it began almost 150 years ago, and they are the fundamental guidelines for how we as employees work together and perform for our clients,” De Stigter says. “This philosophy and the fact that our employees own the company have been key elements in our success.”
This philosophy reflects many of the values that are also important to Buena Vista University, which makes De Stigter’s service as a trustee a natural fit.
“Education at all levels, but most importantly at the college and university level, is what forms and influences the basic cultural, moral, and social fabric of our society,” says De Stigter. “Higher education affords those able to participate with the opportunity and the obligation to facilitate change and work towards a better world.”
In addition to his professional responsibilities and service as a BVU trustee, De Stigter serves on a number of boards and is involved with Iowa State University and the ISU Foundation. He is also a ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
De Stigter first became acquainted with Buena Vista University in the mid-1980s, when his oldest son was considering enrolling at BV. Later, he and his wife, Vi, were invited to attend William W. Siebens American Heritage Lecture Series events, where they met faculty, administration, board members, and friends of the university and “were impressed by all.”
When asked by President Fred Moore and former Board Chair Don Lamberti to serve as a trustee, De Stigter recalls it was a serious decision for him, primarily due to the time issues. “What convinced me to accept was the basic vitality of the university, the strength of the board, and President Moore,” he says. “It was easy to see that this was a quality educational institution that I would be proud to serve.”
De Stigter believes there are some clear parallels in the qualities required for a successful business enterprise and a vibrant educational institution. “They both must have a clear vision that is in sync with the mission; a management structure that is in sync with the leaders and managers; the ability to implement change; strong leadership and the right people.”
As a BVU trustee, he believes there needs to be a proper balance between students’ academic lives and their co-curricular experiences.
“Education is not a one dimensional experience,” he explains. “The physical, spiritual, and social development must complement academic pursuits. There needs to be a full array of student services. Leadership programs and community service opportunities help students develop the skills that are critical to civic leadership, one of the hallmarks of a BVU education.”
A New Calling
That’s why De Stigter feels it is especially fulfilling to serve on the board’s Student Services Committee.
“This is an important part of our obligation as trustees — to keep fully informed about the student experience,” he says. “We are exploring informal and formal ways to expand our interaction with students when we are on campus, in the residence halls, through receptions, and at special meetings.”
In listening to students, De Stigter has found that one of their important concerns has been the need for a student center. “The university is now in the preliminary stages of studying this issue,” he reports, “and I look forward to further information.”
De Stigter believes that two of the strengths of student services at BVU are the leadership development and community service programs. “These programs have distinguished themselves and have been recognized at the national level for the difference they make in the quality of life for BVU students. I have also been impressed with the spiritual life program.”
“Likewise, I think we have a residence life program that is distinctive in the wide variety of living options, particularly in offering a residence hall that is substance-free,” he says. De Stigter says other strong points of student services are the effectiveness of BVU’s career services office, and the current success in building the diversity of the student body to better reflect the multiculturalism in today’s world.
One of the most frustrating quality-of-life issues on many college campuses today is that of student alcohol abuse, he says. “This is an issue of national concern, and I am pleased that we do not hide our heads in the sand and ignore it.”
Students and staff who work with De Stigter are impressed by his knowledge and interest in student life issues. Julie Keehner, vice president for enrollment and student services, has high praise:
“Glenn asks meaningful questions that clearly demonstrate his understanding of our students’ educational experience — both in the classroom and in their co-curricular activities. He is not hesitant to discuss challenging issues that we face and provide insights based on his professional and personal experiences. Students who have met him are impressed by his level of interest as well as his approachable style.”
David Laudner, the Student Senate president, agrees: “Glenn asks a variety of questions, ranging from the facts and figures on the student body, to specific inquiries about student-led programs. His interest in student life on campus makes him a perfect fit as chair of the Student Services Committee.”